How University of Canberra is Helping Students Make a Career in Sports Beyond the Game

Although sports once began as a simple activity for leisure and enjoyment, they have now developed into one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. The global sports market is expected to grow to USD 501.43 billion by the end of this year, with an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 41.3%.

Like the entertainment industry, sports outreach is massive and can have a global impact. Take, for example, the FIFA World Cup; despite only occurring every four years, it grabs global attention and delights fans worldwide. 

Thanks to our love of sports, the industry can only keep growing. It is no surprise, therefore, that plenty of people around the world want to be a part of that growth. However, although many kids grow up dreaming about being elite sports stars, the reality is that not everyone can become a professional athlete for one reason or another. 

But that shouldn’t stop you. What if there was another way to live out your dream and be connected to the sports you love? Well, here’s some good news - there is a way.

Sports education is a fantastic opportunity to keep in touch with the games you grew up loving. You may not be the person on the field representing your nation, but you can certainly be responsible for developing an athlete and putting them on the pedestal for the world to see.

That is precisely where education institutes such as the University of Canberra (UC) come in.

UC offers a wide range of courses in sports education

Australia is blessed with a rich sporting heritage dating back to 1800s. Cricket, AFL, tennis, athletics, and other sports have enjoyed significant limelight within the nation’s culture and consciousness. 

Building on deep-rooted Australian sporting values, UC serves up a range of courses and research opportunities to budding sports enthusiasts:

There is a wide range of sport-related courses offered at UC. They include: 

1. Bachelor of Health Science (Human Movement) – A three-year course focusing on human performance and the roles and benefits of exercise and physical activity. Students will gain a foundation in sports sciences. They will also develop skills in physiological testing procedures and biomechanical analyses to measure a range of parameters relating to physical activity, exercise, and sports performance.
2. Bachelor of Business (Sport Management) – A three-year course designed by leading industry professionals in partnership with academics, this course will help you develop a strong working knowledge of sports management theory and how it applies in a real-world setting.
3. Bachelor of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation – A four-year course in which students will gain valuable knowledge and understanding of various health and medical issues afflicting patients across a diverse range of age groups and demographics. Students will also develop in-depth clinical and analytical skills to discover how exercise as a medicine positively affects each patient's mental and emotional recovery.
4. Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science – A three-year course where students will develop a broad understanding of all aspects of sport and exercise science and explore the complexity of human movement while developing strategies to assist athletes in reaching their full potential.
5. Master of Strength and Conditioning – An eighteen-month course designed for professionals looking to progress their career in the sports science industry, the online Master of Strength and Conditioning aims to increase your specialist knowledge while opening doors to a higher level of responsible professional accreditation.

All the above courses come with Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities. Students will learn to apply their theoretical knowledge in real-world situations during the duration of their course.

Sports research can be just as great! 

UC also provides world-class sports research opportunities via the University of Canberra Research Institute for Sports and Exercise (UCRISE). Between 2017 and 2020, UC produced 381 publications, secured $6 million in sport-related research funds, and attracted 50 PhD students.

UCRISE researches the training, performance, and management of various top sporting teams, such as the Brumbies, UC Capitals, and Canberra United, helping them improve their on-field performance. Their research even stretches as far as Houston, USA, presenting game-changing wearable technology to NASA to combat the effects of space travel. 

UC’s robust sports strategy affirms commitment to sports education

Aiming to become Australia’s leading sports university for sports science by 2026, UC has a robust sports strategy and vision for the future. 

The University has invested AUD$1 million to award 10 new PhD scholarships for women. These are offered in high-performance sports, community sports, coaching, officiating, leading sports organisations, the media, sports integrity, and sports law.

In addition to the ten PhD scholarships, the University will fund additional sports development initiatives. These include 50 student Sports Scholarships per year for the next three years, the introduction of 12-month academic High-Performance Sport Fellowships, outreach programs across the ACT and region, and the continued support of the University’s Elite Athlete Programme.

UC also plans to launch its second Sports Hub, an indoor, multi-sports arena, to attract sporting partnerships and events, support leading education and research partnerships, and create commercial revenue opportunities. 

Why pick UC for a career in sports education?

Sport lies at the heart of the University of Canberra. It embodies UC’s values – integrity, collaboration, inclusion, innovation, and entrepreneurship. It builds communities, connects cultures and regions, bolsters identities, and promotes social justice, diversity, and physical and mental well-being. The university also prides itself on gender equality and strives for diversity and inclusivity in its sports programme.

All in all, with its impressive facilities, clear vision and renowned partnerships, UC provides a wholesome pathway for a successful career in sports. And it is not just for students who aim to become the next generation of sporting stars but also those who desire to work behind the scenes to help these next generation of stars reach their full potential.